love is all around (that does not make it good)
by Marvelgeek42
Summary: "Want to see something I used to do as a kid?" Lily asked.


**This is in the same verse as i kissed a girl (i hope my boyfriend don't mind it), but all you really need to know of that is that Julia is trans!James Potter.**

 **Holmes Mystery Challenge - (spell) avis**

 **QLFC; Puddlemere, Beater #2 - Love Is All Around by Wet Wet Wet; Additional: (word) horror, (emotion) fear - This song is pure fluff. I suck at fluff ideas. So I decided on toxic love versus actual love.**

 **Assignment #12, Muggle Stories Task #4: Write about someone who just wants to be loved.**

 **Word Count: 1,108**

* * *

 _ **love is all around (that does not make it good)**_

* * *

 _"Come on, Lily, don't do that," Petunia admonished her little sister as she picked up a dead flower. "You know Mum doesn't like it when you do it."_

 _"But Tuney," Lily — small, still with her baby fat, her hair dishevelled, and dressed in a muddy rosé dress — protested, "I like doing it and it's not like I'm hurting anyone. It's like magic."_

 _Petunia — tall, lanky, impeccably dressed, and knowing she was not as pretty as her sister in the eyes of everyone — sighed. "That does not mean is right or good. You know that Mum has rules for a reason." She stares as the flower in her sister's hand in horror and then proceeded to swat the now blooming flower out of her sister's hand._

 _Lily's lip trembled. "I just fixed it. It was hurt and now it's not."_

 _"It's still not right," Petunia replied, crossing her arms. "Normal people can't do that."_

* * *

Lily liked waking up early to watch the sun rise with her partners in the garden. Only, both Julia and Sirius absolutely detested being woken up early — something that Lily could follow, except that the sunrise kind of made it all worth it. It was just so calming and peaceful, just what all of them needed.

They had a large free space in their garden for the sole reason that Sirius loved to run around in it in his dog form. Lily personally preferred to grow vegetables, but compromises were an important thing in relationships, and this was not something they were prepared to fight about.

Sometimes, it helped that they had someone to calm them down, but sometimes the fights turned two against one and it just enraged all of them more.

But they work through it.

Just like they had eventually agreed to watch the sunrise no more than twice a month.

This morning, Lily noticed a dead flower on the ground that must have slipped past their gardening efforts a few days ago. She wasn't exactly sure why, but she decided to pick it up.

"Want to see something I used to do as a kid?" Lily asked.

"Sure," Sirius replied, clearly holding back a yawn. Julia nodded sleepily, leaning against Lily.

Lily — just like back when she was young — slowly made the flower bloom again.

"That's cool!" Julia perked up. "I didn't know you could do this. Can you do this? I mean obviously you can, but can you, like, teach me?"

Sirius, too, looked at her, excited and a whole lot more awake.

Lily smiled at them. "I can certainly try."

* * *

 _"I cannot believe you would even think about doing something like this and dishonor our family!" his mother exclaimed in horror. "Have you no shame?"_  
 _Sirius — still small and somewhat naive — frowned. "But you're wearing a dress. Why can't I wear one?"_

 _"Because you are a boy and boys don't wear dresses," his father gritted through his teeth. "Maybe they do in the barbaric Muggle world, but not here."_

 _"Why not? They're not that different from dress robes and I like them." Sirius crossed his arms, looking up at his parents defiantly. "They even sound the same!"_

 _"You are not getting a dress and that is final," his father declared, before stumbling of an muttering something about firewhiskey._

 _His mother, meanwhile, decided that a punishment was necessary, as she often did._

 _Sirius turned around and used what little he had of a chance to run. That, however, did little to help him when his mother decided on "Avis!" and he was attacked by birds._

 _At least Reggie hugged him to make it better that evening, even if he did make it clear that he neither understood nor liked his choice._

 _This was one more thing that Sirius would have to suck in and deal with on his own._

* * *

"And you're really sure you're okay with it?" Sirius questioned hestianly, holding the dress a bit closer to himself.

"Of course we are," Lily shrugged.

Julia frowned and added, "Why in Merlin's name wouldn't we? We have done that so far."

Lily nodded. "That's why we're here, after all."

"I guess you have a point," Sirius replied. It was true; why would they come with him all the way to this store if they didn't support him?  
"That dress in particular, however, is not exactly your style, man," Julia commented upon further inspection. "This is more Lily's style."

"She's right," Lily agreed. "You'll want something more out there. Let's go and see over here." She started dragging Sirius in a direction where he saw some spikes and leather, among other elements more his style then the yellow dress Julia was now placing back on the rack before hurrying after them.

* * *

 _James looked up at her parents at dinner on the very day she got back from Hogwarts, playing with her hands to let out some of her anxiety._

 _"Mom, Dad, I have to tell you something," she spoke before she could stop herself._

 _She was a Gryffindor. She could do this._

 _"Yes, James?" his mother questioned, placing down her fork and knife on her plate to focus her attention on James, an action that was quickly copied by James's father._

 _Neither of them prompted James further — they always said that they had learned patience long before James had been born._

 _And normally, James appreciated being able to tell her parents things at her own pace, but this time? It only caused a long, uncomfortable pause._

 _James took a deep breath. "I am actually a girl. Like, in my mind, not my body. Obviously. You know that. But I really am a girl, even if my body is not agreeing. The stairs in the girl's dorms let me in without explicit permission and everything! That's what made me realize it, actually. It was just… a sense of euphoria to be seen as a girl by something, even if I didn't understand it at first and… I started rambling, didn't I?"_

 _"A bit," her father replied with a smile that is pleasantly far from the horror James had expected to see on his face._

 _"It's understandable, though, sweetheart," her mother quickly added. "I hope we didn't make you feel like you had to be afraid of our reactions."_

 _"I agree with that." Her father nodded. "We don't care whether you're a boy or a girl, or something else entirely, just as long as you are happy."_

 _"Thank you, Mum, Dad," James whispered._

 _"Oh, you're welcome, dearie, it's the opposite of a problem, really," her mother responded as she engulfed her in a hug._


End file.
